BTW, I still have no idea how to brush baby teeth. I probably work up the nerve once a week. She's not so willing to let me stick her toothbrush in her mouth. And I often just let her do it, because she enjoys watching me brush my teeth and sort of likes to try it out, but obviously she's not getting a lot of successful brushing done. Tips?

for us, we just did it. non-negotiable. she could start, but i was doing it after. when she was really young, we did cute little games like, "roar like a lion" etc. then she went through a phase where nothing worked but literally holding her down and prying her mouth open. right now it's just such a part of our routine that she just does it. i do let her brush first.

Ada will not let us brush her teeth at all. And she will not try to do it herself. We have one of those silicone things that she chews on. When we got a real toothbrush she let us brush for a few days but all she wanted to do is chew on it. Now she won't even open her mouth for it and if we give it to her she throws it. We've tried with or without toothpaste, singing the song I used to sing when she used the silicone thing, letting her brush our teeth (she will do that), brushing our teeth with her, getting a spinning toothbrush (she just wants to play with that one), bringing the iPad into the bathroom to watch the elmo brushing teeth video....nothing is working! This has been going on for a few months. I would also love any tips.

we had a really hard time with teeth brushing. It came down to with us to just spend a bit of money and find a toothbrush/toothpaste combo he would accept and then push the issue. Turned out he hated our regular toms, hated the kids toms but likes the spry kind. He also hated a small regular bristle brush but took to the silicone banana shaped brush. It took about a week for him to actually let me brush his teeth and now he loves it. He gets super excited when he sees be prepare the brush. I brush his teeth fully first then let him brush himself until he's done.

Man, I feel super lucky that my kid would brush his teeth 20 times a day if I let him. In fact, getting to brush his teeth is how I convince him to sit through nappy change/putting on pajamas. I'm sorry some of you are having to fight for teeth brushing :( I hope it gets better for you!

Sven is young (11 mo) so this may not be super helpful for older babies, but I use an electric toothbrush and Sven loves it! (and he definitely did not love the regular toothbrush) He's still not great about letting me maneuver easily around his mouth since he loves to bite it, but it works pretty well, keeps rotating as long as he's not biting too hard, and at least he enjoys it. He actually cries when we're done brushing! I have to swap the toothbrush for something equally awesome.

I also was told not not to use fluoride toothpaste until they learn not to swallow it -- is that just another excessively cautious thing manufacturers put on to avoid potential liability? We plan to use fluoride toothpaste eventually since our water filter removes it, but weren't sure when it was okay to start.

We use a tiny smear of tom's with flouride, because the dentist told me to. He doesn't rinse or spit, but it's such a tiny amount that I'm not concerned.

We also have a hard time with brushing. Most days I have to get him in a leg lock, hold his arms down with one hand, and brush with the other. He is getting good at sealing his lips closed, though, so I could really use a third hand to pry them apart. And he screams the whole time, which is only ever 20-30 seconds, because that's all I can take.

So are you not supposed to use fluoridated toothpaste only if you already have fluoridated water? I'm so confused! Good thing Sven is going for his first dental checkup on Wednesday, I can have all my questions answered!

So are you not supposed to use fluoridated toothpaste only if you already have fluoridated water? I'm so confused! Good thing Sven is going for his first dental checkup on Wednesday, I can have all my questions answered!

I think opinions differ on this. The pediatric dentist my daughter goes to told us to start using a fluoridated toothpaste when he heard that we were using a fluoride-free one even though our water is fluoridated and my daughter can't spit yet.

We also have a hard time with brushing. Most days I have to get him in a leg lock, hold his arms down with one hand, and brush with the other. He is getting good at sealing his lips closed, though, so I could really use a third hand to pry them apart. And he screams the whole time, which is only ever 20-30 seconds, because that's all I can take.

I know brushing is important so we do it, but we both hate it.

Ugh. This is us, too. And I'm really concerned because she has this discoloration/weirdness on her four front top teeth that the dentist said was just tartar but I'm not convinced (and it needs to be dealt with regardless!). She screams extra when I try to brush those particular teeth. Toothbrushing and worrying about tooth issues is seriously one of my biggest sources of stress. Blah.

And, yeah, we have fluoridated water and the dentist still recommends fluoride toothpaste and pushes the drops. We've used the Kiss My Face and Burt's Bees fluoride kiddie ones.

@Pinko, do you think that she may be in any pain on those teeth? I have some white spots on mine, where there was damage to the enamel, and those bits are sensitive sometimes to cold, brushing, sweet, etc. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble.

Knock on wood, we're lucky so far, but we're only using water. My whole family has wretched awful trouble with teeth, so tooth brushing is a big deal to me. I hope we don't end up with the full body press brushing, but I'd do it :(

Thanks for the tips about brands. I had no idea that BB's or KissMyFace made kids toothpaste.

Our only New Year's resolution was to brush Malka's teeth every day. I'm not willing to leg lock her (that's what the pediatrician suggested, too), but tonight at least I got at most of her teeth sort of.

Our pediatricians said (and a document kimba posted awhile back gave more details on this) that kids who live in areas without fluoridated water should specifically get dietary fluoride (supplemental drops - it's included in some multivitamin drops). It seems like it's a matter of debate whether or not kids who can't spit should get fluoride toothpaste. We really put so little on her toothbrush I can't imagine it matters one way or another.

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:51 amPosts: 8123Location: United States of New England

I have some really dumb questions regarding the kegel exercises. I totally get “how” to do them im just wondering like do you ever notice that your muscles are getting stronger or do you just do them and assume you are doing it right?Are you supposed to “hold it” for a couple seconds or do you just flex and unflex the muscles?I can do them I just don’t feel like it’s doing anything. It also makes me feel like I have to pee if I keep doing them. hahahaha

You're supposed to hold for a few seconds each time and build up to holding it longer (like 30 seconds or more), as well as build up to more repetitions. It will help you not have to pee when you don't want to after the baby is born!

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:51 amPosts: 8123Location: United States of New England

totally different topic but i keep running across things about the magic of pineapple and pregnancy.

first my acupuncturist sent me a thing about fertility and it claimed pineapple helps with conception.then people here keep saying how you're supposed to eat a lot of pineapple to start labor if you have gone passed your due date.

then last night i was reading Your Vegetarian Pregnancy and there was a whole section about how something in pineapple and papaya is really good for you AFTER you deliver because it helps everything heal really fast.

totally different topic but i keep running across things about the magic of pineapple and pregnancy.then last night i was reading Your Vegetarian Pregnancy and there was a whole section about how something in pineapple and papaya is really good for you AFTER you deliver because it helps everything heal really fast.

is pineapple magic?

I always heard pineapple juice was good for helping with inflammation and reducing bruises. Not sure about the other stuff, though.

I have some really dumb questions regarding the kegel exercises. I totally get “how” to do them im just wondering like do you ever notice that your muscles are getting stronger or do you just do them and assume you are doing it right?Are you supposed to “hold it” for a couple seconds or do you just flex and unflex the muscles?I can do them I just don’t feel like it’s doing anything. It also makes me feel like I have to pee if I keep doing them. hahahaha

According to one of the Bradley books I'm reading, there are 3 stages to kegels. You are supposed to move on when it becomes easy1. simple flex/unflex "as strong as making a fist" 300 times a day until you build up the muscle2. flex - hold for 10 seconds3. flex the bottom of the muscle and move up "like an elevator going up through different floors" until you get to the top

No clue if I'm doing them correctly, and how to tell if I should move on to the next stage though, so no help there. The only helpful tip I saw was that if you are clenching abs or glutes too, you are doing it wrong.